Sri Lanka has officially booked its place in the Women’s Asia Cup final for the third consecutive time. In a tense semifinal encounter held in Dubai on Friday, September 11, Chamari Athapaththu’s squad successfully chased down a target of 131 to defeat Pakistan by four wickets. While Pakistan’s captain Fatima Sana delivered a remarkable individual performance, scoring an unbeaten 47 off 36 balls and claiming 4 for 38, her efforts were ultimately overshadowed by a collective batting recovery from the Sri Lankan side.
Early Struggles and Recovery
The chase began disastrously for Sri Lanka as Fatima Sana dismantled the top order in the second over. After removing Athapaththu for 5, she immediately dismissed Sanjana Kavindi, putting the batting side on the back foot. The situation worsened when Sadia Iqbal accounted for Hasini Perera, and Umm-e-Hani claimed the wicket of Imesha Dulani. By the end of the seventh over, Sri Lanka found themselves in a precarious position at 35 for 4. However, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari stabilized the innings with a cautious approach, reaching 53 for 4 at the midway point.
Turning the Tide
The momentum shifted decisively when the pair began finding the boundary with greater regularity. Tuba Hassan bore the brunt of this aggression, conceding 22 runs across her first two overs. The duo successfully compiled a 50-run partnership in just 42 deliveries, reducing the required run rate significantly. Although Sana returned to the attack in the 17th over to dismiss Samarawickrama and later Dilhari, the foundation had been set. With 22 runs needed from 18 balls, a crucial boundary from Nilakshika Silva and a decisive six from Kaushani Nuthyangana off a high full-toss effectively ended Pakistan’s resistance.
Pakistan’s First Innings Performance
Sent in to bat first, Pakistan struggled to find consistent momentum on a challenging surface. Muneeba Ali departed early, though Shawaal Zulfiqar provided a brief spark with a 16-ball 24. Athapaththu’s disciplined bowling restricted Pakistan to 33 for 2 by the end of the Powerplay. The middle overs proved equally difficult as Chamudi Praboda joined the attack to claim key wickets, including Sadaf Shamas and Gull Feroza. Despite the pressure, Fatima Sana anchored the tail, sharing a vital 38-run stand with Tuba Hassan to push the final score to 130 for 5. The report also notes that fatima Sana’s all-round show (47* off 36 and 4 for 38) went in vain as Sri Lanka came up with a collective effort – led by Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari – to surpass Pakistan’s 130 for 5 with 8 deliveries. The report also notes that athapaththu fell for 5 off 6 before Sana struck again with the very next ball to dismiss Sanjana Kavindi. The report also notes that leaving Sri Lanka in deep trouble at 35/4 after seven overs, hasini Perera was dismissed for 3 by Sadia Iqbal before Umm-e-Hani removed the well-set Dulani for 22. The report also notes that imesha Dulani struck a few boundaries but Pakistan continued to squeeze the defending champions. The report also notes that taking their side to 53 for 4 at the halfway stage, dilhari and Samarawickrama built a watchful partnership.
Match Summary
- Pakistan130/5 in 20 overs (Fatima Sana 47*, Shawaal Zulfiqar 24; Chamari Athapaththu 2-24, Chamudi Praboda 2-25)
- Sri Lanka134/6 in 18.4 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 36, Kavisha Dilhari 33; Fatima Sana 4-38)
- ResultSri Lanka won by 4 wickets.
- Final ContextSri Lanka maintains their unbeaten tournament record and will face India in the championship match.
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